Polysics are one of the most fun live bands on the planet. When they play live, front-man Hiroyuki Hayashi literally does jumping jacks on stage and ends up absolutely drenched in sweat before the second song of their set. There’s no way to replicate the energy of Polysics’ live show on an album, but over their career they’ve managed to come close, including on their newest release Absolute Polysics.
This is anything but live-off-the-floor or raw sounding. The production is mathematical in it’s precision. Every beat is quantized and every note is in perfect pitch. However, almost every song has multiple tempo and rhythm changes that come out of nowhere. Rather than trying to duplicate their live sound on disc, Polysics has opted to use elaborate production to capture the frantic mayhem that is the real driving force of their music. The sonic theme of this album is high-strung unpredictability.
Even when the band slows down (relatively) on ‘Eye Contact’ there is a bizarre tension that prevents you from letting down your guard. Absolute Polysics feels like a three-year old kid is running wild with crayons around the inside of your brain. My first listen was so jarring it felt annoying, but on a repeat listen this album just clicked and now I can’t put it down.
Really, I don’t think I’ve ever liked a Polysics album on first listen, but I’ve grown to love most of their catalogue over time. Even though they’ve only changed their sound incrementally throughout their career, their music has never become predictable. Every album they release sounds out of left field
It’s taken a little to grow on me, but this is the album that reminds me the most of just how energetic Polysics’ concerts are. Listening to Absolute Polysics gives you the same rush you feel exiting a show at two in the morning – exhausted but still buzzing with excitement.
Audio: First Aid
Video:
Polysics – Young OH! OH!
POLYSICS | MySpace Video
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